"Where shall I begin? Perhaps i should begin with the sun salutation on the terrace over looking the Spioenkop mountain in the South African, winter, morning sun. That is where my beautiful experience of the yoga retreat begun – there saluting the sun.

After which my senses felt gently scrubbed, and I could see, feel, touch, taste, smell – experience – everything with a patience and sensitivity that I hadn't experienced for some time.

Perhaps calling it a 'yoga retreat' is slightly misleading. I think a 'yoga retreat' assumes a sort of silent, ascetic, solitary experience with yoga, which this retreat was not. Yoga was the attraction, for sure, it brought all of us there, but it wasn't the central or only experience. There was the food –sumptuous and home made; the wine – plenty of it; the landscape – austere and beautiful; the accommodation – inviting and comfortable; there were the long walks; the long horse rides; the engaging conversations; and the diverse, interesting novice and experienced yogis… and then there was the yoga, which enabled me to relax into all of these experiences and truly, truly enjoy them.

Congratulations Clara for such a well-planned, well thought-out 'retreat' It is one that I would love to go on again and again … and again."